fallfromgrace

Welcome, this forum is addictive and VERY helpful....I know that I have gained some amazing contacts through this site!

Are you planning to do your wedding photography before you leave for your wedding or are you talking about getting an engagement shoot done?

No, we didn't meet at Starbucks, I just love starbucks coffee.

Congrats and happy planning!

Wow, amazing! 1400 pictures? That is sweet. I love pictures, and I have been surfing the net for some example pictures that I want my photographer to try. your pictures are amazing. If you don't mind me asking, how much did your photographer charge you all together for the package? I am just curious?

welcome to the forum, I am sure you will find it very helpful and addictive!

Your pictures are so amazing!

I am glad that you are alright. It will be a story to tell. Congrats!

OMG, this is the cutest story EVER!!! So excited, congrats!! I love thoughtful little gifts like this!

Thank you guys so much for the very special welcome!

So I love coffee, I love love love coffee. Starbucks every morning. A Grande Pike Place or House in a Venti cup. The girls at Starbucks know my drink when I come in the morning. They know how I like my coffee. So one Satuday afternoon, my FI said we should meet at a Starbucks after I was done some shopping downtown. I normally don't like it when he gets my coffee for me, because he dosen't know how I like it. But I met him there and he had my coffee ready for me. (He talked to the girls and told them my name and they recognized me, and gave him my coffee the way I like it! One of them even helped my FI "dress" my coffee up with the kind of cream and sugar I wanted.) I normally drink my coffee through a straw, and we sat in the cafe and talked, and laughed. I was noticing the girls behind the counter giggling and looking over my way. I finished my coffee and I noticed there was something in the bottom of the cup...I opened the lid, and found the most beautiful ring inside (yup, ladies, he just put the ring inside of my coffee!) and I looked up to see him on one knee and all the starbucks girls behind him squeeling....It was surreal. We got the ring cleaned up, and now every cup of coffee reminds me that I am engaged to the man of my dreams! Gracie.

congrats, welcome, I am sure there are plenty of very helpful people here....I know I have found a few gems since I first signed into these boards!

I know I haven't been on the boards very much, but I really wanted to say thank you to all the brides who have posted things that I am learning from. This board is really amazing and I think I am addicted! Gracie

I was in an LDR for about 15 months. I lived on the east coast, and he lived on the west coast. It was so incredibly hard, we talked on the phone almost everyday, we e-mailed lots, but we also did get into more intense arguments. Part of that was the lack of body language. Something said one way would be interpreted another way, and I couldn't read his body language and he couldn't read mine. I have to say that we are much closer as a couple and much more intune with each other now. our verbal cues are much stronger, and we can understand each other much more intimately. So for anyone who is in an LDR, times will be tough, there is no doubt! But everything always works itself out!

So I went to do a shoot with my photographer while I was in Canada, and honestly, I have never seen such a down to earth photographer. We shot for about an hour (a little over) and Nora was the kindest most amazing person ever. She said that she would test shoot me (I am a musician) because I wasn't able to bring my FI out to the shoot (he stayed in NY). She let me pull out my mandoline, and we just had fun. She said that she likes to test shoot people before making any type of contractual agreement. After spending a little over an hour with her, I knew she was the one. I signed on the dotted line. Her packages are amazing also. So for BDW brides she offers a 6hr package for $400.00, all images on a CD that are fully edited. I took the 7hr package for $500.00 and she will be doing my TTD session for $50.00. I also want to do a TTD session with my bridesmaids, and she is doing that for an additional $75.00. When we get to the island, I wanted to get some really fun shots fo my bridesmaids and I, and of FI's groomsmen and him, some kind of glamourous shots, and she will be doing both shoots for an additional $150.00. As she will be in Hawaii already, this is another reason we chose her, because she is already going to be there. So far I am really really pleased with the level of communication and professionalism of Nora, and also, I am really pleased with the headshots and music shots that she has done for me when I was in Vancouver. I cannot be more pleased! www.norasphotos.com I cannot wait to have my pictures done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited that everyone on these boards are so amazing also! Thanks for letting me post! Gracie

Congrats. SO exciting. Happy Planning!

Wow, I am amazed at how welcome everyone has made me feel. Thank you!

I am totally addicted!

Awesome!!! SO amazing, she sounds like my photographer who I am completely enamoured with because she is so amazing. I have to say working with my photographer who is the sweetest woman in the world makes it really easy. She also helped direct me to different resources like this forum. And what is more amazing is that if a couple can't afford her prices, she will review them and make a package for you that better suits your needs, she says she would rather have someone have really great photographic memories of their wedding than really bad cheap pictures. And if you want more services she will make a package that suits you, and her pictures are so AMAZING. www.norasphotos.com So I can't wait to talk to Cherise. My exprience with planning my wedding has been so positive, that I am kind of worried it will be a jinx. But I am also really grateful to have found some lovely ladies in this forum to help me along. Tovaqt, I love the underwater picture that you have in your profile also! Gracie

Tovaqt, I would love to know the coordinator and some information on her/him? Most of the wedding planners that I found were VERY limiting in vendors.

Hi Kimberly, We are getting married this Feb in Maui and I am so amazingly excited to have found this forum! I only recently found it and it is amazing! So Maui is a beautiful island that has lots to offer but is less touristy than for example Oahu. In Oahu there is Honolulu and Waikiki which are known for their amazing nightlife. We chose Maui because we wanted a family oriented wedding. (some of my friends have very young children!) Our travel agent was really awesome to get us some great rates, we used Flight Centre and they are awesome, they have set us up flights from Seattle, Vancouver, New York, Tampa, Montreal and LA. They got us the best rates. I told them that there are about 5 people from each city arriving and they were really great in accommodating us. I didn't go with a wedding planner, because a lot of the times they have preferred vendors and I heard that it can get limiting. We are getting married in Wailea, and we have planned some excursions for everybody, we are going to do some snorkeling that we set up through the Maui Dive Shop. Also, we were able to set up services (an extra room at the hotel - for the kids to play in during the day or to nap in or to hang out in with a "grown" up, or someone from the family, and there will always be snacks and such with some DVD's going for the kidlets) The boys are going to have a TEE time booked at the Emerald Course the day before the wedding. Our photographer is amazing. www.norasphotos.com. She really loves what she does and her work is AMAZING. The best part about her is that when we contacted her we had different things that we wanted to have done (we wanted portraits of all the families - just them, and we also wanted a Trash The Dress with all of our wedding party!) She worked out the most amazing package deal. The things like the table settings, menu and wedding cake are taken care of the hotel where we are having our reception. The one thing that was important to us was having an open bar. We are having a buffet style menu, and we are flying the greasy meat for Philly Steak Sandwiches (because they are my fiance's favorites!) for the midnight snack. This was my start, I hope that this helps you with some ideas at least! Gracie

Hi my name is Grace. I am getting married in Hawaii, and started the planning of my wedding before I even knew this forum existed. We are getting Married Feb 2011!!! I look forward to reading a lot of tips and hints, and sharing some of my own experiences.